St. Paul daily globe., 1887-09-28
A SAERIFF'S SHOT.
The Ex-Janitor Of the Court House
Killed by Capt. Richter
WHILE CONCEALED IN JAIL.
His Death the Result of Rashnsss in Re-
fusing to Show His Face to
the Officer.

'Ceme down to the jail; think have
killed an escaping prisoner" Such was
the message over the telephone that
reused DIR. Ancker about midnight, the
sender being Sheriff Richter. 1t did not
take the doctor long to answer the sum
mons and he was at the scene of the
tragedy, for such it proved to be.
in few minutes from the
time that he received the message.
Lying face dOwnwards, near the base
ment door leading out upon the street,
lay the form of an ugly negro, shot
through the brain from the left side, his
limbs fast stiffening in death. Again
the telephone was called into requisi-
ton, and Chief Clark, Judge Egan and
Attorney SanbOrn were quickly
at the prison, and they formed
a group about the sheriff when
he was seen by the GLOBE repre-
sentative. 1t was shortly after IL O'Clock
last evening said Sheriff Richter that /
returned to the prison after paying
visit to some friends and / called for
my night Watchman to hand me the KEY
tony
PRIVATE SLEEPING DEPARTMENT.
AT the first call he did not answer and
where he had been? To this he an
swered, down looking after the furnace.
don't know what prompted Inc, but |
concluded to go down stairs again and
see II everything was secure for the
night. At the foot of the basement
steps, adjacent to the kitchen, is room
IN which odds and ends are kept and,
on this occasion, the weeks wash of nv
family was hanging In there to-day.
An electric light burns in the center of
the apartment. and as | entered it |
saw crouehing behind some wooden
clothing the legs and a portion of the
body OF man. His face was hidden
behlnd some of the articles on the
clothes line and | commanded him to
come out and show himself. He made
no effort to do so at first and l pulled
aside some of the clothing in order to
obtain look at his face Just as | did
SO the fellow bumped up against me,
still endeavOring to screen his face and
pushed on out into the hallway leading
to the street door. He did not heed my
COMMAND To HALT,
put persisted in trying to reach the
front door, as | supposed, whereupon L
fired, and there is the result. As he
said this the sheriff pointed to the pros
trate body OF the dead man. EXamina-
ton of the deceased showed, however.
that, instead of his being prisoner at
tempting to escape from his captors, he
conyt waS houIe former named iantGr i e,d at the
and who was discharged about
two months ago by Sheriff Richter.
What his object was in being concealed
In the prison or how he effected an Ell
trance will remain mystery, but tell
tale flask in the right pocket of his sack
coat showed that he had stimulated
himself for the accomplishment of some
purpose, probably murder. At any
rate he had no business what
ever in the easement of the pris-
on, but had he revealed his iden-
lily he would not have boen shot at by
the plucky sheriff. Graham was a
burly, bullet-headed negro, probably
about thirty-five years of age, and it
living i'll st. Paul. Nobody at the jail
knew anything about his being des-
poradO, but he was
FOND OF LIQUOR,
and the suppositiOn is that while under
Its influence he may have Strayed into
the place with which he was so familiar
by reason of years service within its
walls. But his obstinacy in refusing to
show his face cost him his life. Up stairs
among the prisoners there was a great
deal OF speculation as to the meaning of
the sharp report OF the pistol, but when
the inmates learned that it was not one
OF their number the tumult quickly sub
sided. After heating recital of the
facts in the case the coroner deemed an
inquest unnecessary, and the body
of the ex-ianit0r was turned over
to an undertaken to be prepared
for interment. Death must have been
instantaneous. for Graham never uttered
a sound after he was hit, but dropped
in his tracks with his face still con-
cealed in his hands, the life-blood
ebbing from the wound and
forming ghastly pool on the
pine flooring of the hallway
so near to liberty. 1t was the expression
of all who heard the story that it was
case of justifiable homicide, and the fate
OF Graham should be warning to all
who contemplate breaking into the st.
Paul Jail while Sheriff Richter is in
charge of that institution.